Hydro Overview Global perspective
How hydro contributes to global electricity generation and how it is changing over time.

Hydro power is the largest source of renewable energy in the world, and has been used to generate electricity for over a century. Hydro plants are also the most flexible source of renewable generation, since their reservoirs can be filled up during periods of low demand and released during periods of high demand. Hydro generation has largely remained flat over the past decade, with stable generation and a slowly declining share of overall electricity generation. The country with the most generation from hydro over the latest 12 months is China, with 1,342 TWh. The country with the largest share of its generation from hydro is Tajikistan at 92.0%.

Top Countries

Quickly compare which countries lead in generation, share, and growth for hydro.
# Country Annual Generation (TWh) Share of Country Mix Annual Growth
1 China 1,341.93 12.7% +3.8%
2 Brazil 392.99 52.4% -7.3%
3 Canada 339.33 54.3% -2.7%
4 United States 255.77 5.7% +7.9%
5 Russia 196.46 17.3% -1.4%
6 India 179.24 9.4% +11.9%
7 Norway 133.87 89.2% -5.4%
8 Viet Nam 109.40 34.2% +17.9%
9 Sweden 69.47 42.8% +7.1%
10 Colombia 68.11 80.6% +25.0%
# Country AnnualGeneration (TWh) Share of Country Mix Annual Growth
1 Tajikistan 22.18 92.0% +11.5%
2 Norway 133.87 89.2% -5.4%
3 Kyrgyzstan 10.82 88.1% -8.1%
4 Colombia 68.11 80.6% +25.0%
5 Georgia 11.11 77.8% +0.9%
6 Costa Rica 9.81 74.7% +5.8%
7 Ecuador 28.34 74.2% +27.0%
8 Montenegro 1.61 60.3% +11.8%
9 New Zealand 23.92 59.5% +9.4%
10 Switzerland 37.19 56.3% -16.5%
# Country Annual Generation (TWh) Share of Country Mix Annual Growth
1 South Africa 2.09 0.9% +190.3%
2 Belarus 1.00 2.2% +112.8%
3 Greece 4.27 7.8% +80.2%
4 Nigeria 12.06 35.1% +42.4%
5 Bulgaria 3.68 10.0% +41.5%
6 Armenia 2.53 28.2% +39.8%
7 Latvia 3.03 49.8% +38.4%
8 El Salvador 2.23 26.6% +32.7%
9 Ecuador 28.34 74.2% +27.0%
10 Colombia 68.11 80.6% +25.0%

Country distribution (latest 12 months)

Country Generation (TWh) Share of Country Mix Annual Growth Latest Month
China 1,341.93 12.7% +3.8% Mar 2026
Brazil 392.99 52.4% -7.3% Apr 2026
Canada 339.33 54.3% -2.7% Feb 2026
United States 255.77 5.7% +7.9% Apr 2026
Russia 196.46 17.3% -1.4% Mar 2026
India 179.24 9.4% +11.9% Mar 2026
Norway 133.87 89.2% -5.4% Apr 2026
Viet Nam 109.40 34.2% +17.9% Oct 2025
Sweden 69.47 42.8% +7.1% Apr 2026
Colombia 68.11 80.6% +25.0% Dec 2025
Japan 67.84 7.5% -3.5% Feb 2026
Türkiye 65.95 18.8% -0.6% Mar 2026
France 51.76 9.7% -13.8% Apr 2026
Italy 41.17 16.2% -16.9% Apr 2026
Pakistan 39.69 22.9% +2.4% Jan 2026
Switzerland 37.19 56.3% -16.5% Apr 2026
Austria 36.73 55.9% -12.4% Apr 2026
Malaysia 33.11 17.4% +1.3% Feb 2026
Peru 32.70 53.0% +5.6% Mar 2026
Mexico 30.77 8.6% +22.6% Mar 2026
Argentina 30.68 21.8% -5.4% Mar 2026
Spain 29.18 11.6% -7.0% Apr 2026
Ecuador 28.34 74.2% +27.0% Feb 2026
New Zealand 23.92 59.5% +9.4% Mar 2026
Tajikistan 22.18 92.0% +11.5% Dec 2025
Iran 19.92 4.8% -4.4% Apr 2025
Chile 19.75 23.0% -25.3% Apr 2026
Germany 17.38 3.7% -12.3% Apr 2026
Egypt 16.50 6.8% +4.4% Dec 2025
Romania 13.39 26.3% +9.8% Apr 2026
Australia 13.29 5.5% +0.5% Apr 2026
The Philippines 13.27 11.2% +15.1% Mar 2026
Finland 12.39 15.1% -9.8% Apr 2026
Nigeria 12.06 35.1% +42.4% Apr 2026
Georgia 11.11 77.8% +0.9% Mar 2026
Portugal 10.99 23.4% -3.3% Apr 2026
Kyrgyzstan 10.82 88.1% -8.1% Jun 2024
Kazakhstan 10.50 8.7% -6.6% Dec 2025
Costa Rica 9.81 74.7% +5.8% Apr 2026
Serbia 8.52 25.7% -7.4% Apr 2026
Ukraine 8.45 7.8% +3.0% Sep 2022
Thailand 7.93 4.2% +19.1% Feb 2026
Uruguay 6.08 45.2% -9.0% Apr 2026
Sri Lanka 5.37 33.7% +6.1% Jun 2024
Taiwan (China) 5.29 1.8% +20.5% Mar 2026
Croatia 4.72 35.7% -9.6% Apr 2026
Bosnia Herzegovina 4.44 37.8% +16.2% Apr 2026
Greece 4.27 7.8% +80.2% Apr 2026
South Korea 3.80 0.7% -10.4% Feb 2026
Bulgaria 3.68 10.0% +41.5% Apr 2026
United Kingdom 3.58 1.4% +12.6% Apr 2026
Kenya 3.46 25.5% -4.7% Feb 2026
Slovenia 3.37 25.5% -29.1% Apr 2026
Bolivia 3.25 27.4% +8.7% Mar 2026
Slovakia 3.23 11.2% -10.5% Apr 2026
Azerbaijan 3.19 12.5% +7.4% Dec 2025
Latvia 3.03 49.8% +38.4% Apr 2026
Armenia 2.53 28.2% +39.8% Dec 2025
El Salvador 2.23 26.6% +32.7% Jun 2025
South Africa 2.09 0.9% +190.3% Feb 2026
Montenegro 1.61 60.3% +11.8% Apr 2026
North Macedonia 1.59 24.5% -13.6% Feb 2025
Dominican Republic 1.56 6.6% +6.1% Jan 2026
Czechia 1.45 2.1% -34.1% Apr 2026
Poland 1.43 0.9% -4.0% Apr 2026
Bangladesh 1.02 1.1% +24.4% Mar 2026
Belarus 1.00 2.2% +112.8% Dec 2025
Morocco 0.79 1.9% +16.2% Dec 2025
Ireland 0.68 2.3% +23.6% Mar 2026
Lithuania 0.29 3.4% +7.4% Apr 2026
Moldova 0.24 4.4% -25.0% Aug 2024
Kosovo 0.22 4.0% -21.4% Jun 2025
Hungary 0.20 0.5% -16.7% Apr 2026
Luxembourg 0.07 5.4% -36.4% Apr 2026
Netherlands 0.05 0.0% -37.5% Apr 2026
Belgium 0.05 0.1% -80.8% Apr 2026
Cyprus 0.00 0.0% - Feb 2026
Malta 0.00 0.0% - Mar 2026
Estonia 0.00 0.0% - Apr 2026
Tunisia 0.00 0.0% - Dec 2025
Puerto Rico 0.00 0.0% - Feb 2026